Zarohk, the Temporal is one of the toughest and most dynamic pinnacle bosses in Path of Exile 2. He resides at the end of the Trial of the Sekhemas, a gauntlet that tests your endurance and skill across multiple floors. His battle is a test of timing, positioning, and strategic movement as he manipulates time and space to overwhelm you with projectiles and powerful abilities.

This guide will walk you through how to reach Zarohk, and how to defeat him in the final battle of the Trial of the Sekhemas.

How to Reach Zarohk, the Temporal

The trial of the Sekhemas consists of four floors, each featuring various challenges and enemies. You'll need to clear three prior bosses before finally reaching Zarohk. These encounters will wear down your resources and strength, so you need to pace yourself accordingly. As you progress, you will encounter boons and afflictions, which can greatly influence the fight against Zarohk.

Recommended Strategy for Preparation:

Boons: Prioritize boons that improve your damage output, speed, and honor resistance:

Hare's Foot: Provides a 40% boost to movement speed. This is invaluable for dodging Zarohk's projectiles.

Honor Resistance: Look for boons that reduce the impact of losing honor, as this is crucial to surviving Zarohk's relentless assaults.

Afflictions to Avoid: Avoid afflictions that reduce your defenses or movement speed, as they will make dodging Zarohk's attacks much more difficult.

Relics: Relics that increase your movement speed and boss damage will also be crucial for both survival and damage output. These should be equipped before entering the trial.

How to Beat Zarohk, the Temporal

Zarohk is a massive challenge, with 17 million Lives and resistance to all three elements. However, he is not resistant to Physical or Chaos Damage, meaning that you can deal full damage if you use these types of attacks. Otherwise, you'll need to break through his elemental resistances before you can deal meaningful damage.

General Mechanics:

Zarohk's attacks are not consistently telegraphed by voice lines, unlike many other bosses. His voice lines do provide some warning for his most dangerous abilities, but many of his attacks are difficult to predict. Therefore, quick reactions, good positioning, and staying aware of his attack patterns are crucial to success.

Telegraphed Voice Lines & Abilities:

"You are not in control": Zarohk throws an orb of energy at you. It creates a slow zone within a circle. If you get caught inside it, you'll be significantly slowed.

"The hour grows late": Zarohk teleports to the center of the room and releases lightning in a circular pattern. The best way to avoid this is by quickly retreating to the corners of the room.

"The sands of time wait for no one": Zarohk disappears and creates a glowing light in the center. Stepping onto the light starts the "Sands of Time Challenge".

Sands of Time Challenge:

When Zarohk says this line, he initiates a phase that transforms the arena into a giant clock. The camera zooms out, and six orbs appear around the platform, each with a countdown timer. The challenge is to step on each orb before time runs out. However, your movement speed will slow down the longer you take to collect the orbs, so plan your path quickly and effectively. If you fail to complete the challenge within the time limit, the fight will end.

Phases and Attack Patterns

As Zarohk's health decreases, his attacks become more complex and the battlefield more hazardous. Here are the key phases and attacks to look out for:

At 66% Health:

Sands of Time Challenge: He repeats the Sands of Time Challenge phase, which you must complete once again.

At 50% Health:

Pylon Hurling: Zarohk starts throwing pylons around the battlefield. These pylons spin rapidly and can deal significant damage if you fail to dodge them. Keep moving to avoid them.

At 40% Health:

Slowing Bubbles: Zarohk creates several bubbles on the battlefield. Stepping into them will slow you, making dodging more difficult. Be mindful of your movement as you weave around them.

At 33% Health:

Clockfaces: Zarohk creates clock faces beneath your character's feet. After four seconds, these will reset your position back to the clock face. This can cause disorientation and prevent you from avoiding attacks. Move quickly and carefully to avoid getting trapped.

At 25% Health:

Sands of Time Challenge: Zarohk repeats the Sands of Time Challenge phase once again. By now, the room is filled with numerous projectiles, hazards, and traps, so this phase becomes more challenging as the fight goes on.

Fight Strategy:

Mobility Is Key: Throughout the fight, Zarohk's attacks will force you to dodge rapidly. Make sure you have plenty of movement speed and avoid staying in one spot for too long. Hare's Foot (boon) and movement-speed relics will make dodging projectiles much easier.

Protect Your Honor: In this fight, honor is your effective life pool. Every hit will reduce your honor, so it is important to play defensively and avoid taking damage. While Zarohk doesn't do a ton of direct damage, the accumulation of hits on your honor can add up quickly. Prioritize dodging and staying alive over dealing damage.

Use Damage Over Time: When possible, use damage over time abilities to keep Zarohk's health ticking down even while you are dodging. Abilities that inflict poison, bleed, or ignite can help you deal damage while keeping your distance.

Pacing Your Attacks: Zarohk doesn't take massive damage in quick bursts. Instead, focus on hitting him hard and fast when you can afford to stand still, and then resume dodging and moving when necessary. Don't get greedy with your attacks — prioritize survival over pure DPS.

Use Strong Defenses: If you have defensive skills like Fortify or energy shields, use them to mitigate damage during critical phases, especially when Zarohk's area effects are in play.

Manage the Clock: In the Sands of Time Challenge, be quick with your decisions, but also don't rush. The clock hand will slow you down, so plan your route ahead of time, especially as the orbs get harder to reach.

Zarohk, the Temporal Rewards

Defeating Zarohk rewards you with randomized loot based on your performance throughout the Trial of the Sekhemas. The drops may include high-tier gear and Path of Exile 2 currency, with the quality and quantity influenced by the relics you placed on the altar at the start of the trial.

Notable Rewards:

Unique Items: Zarohk's loot pool contains high-level unique Path of Exile 2 items, which can be beneficial for your character's build.

Relics: Depending on your relics, you may also receive additional powerful relics that can enhance your abilities or grant new synergies.

Currency: You will receive valuable in-game currency to further progress your character and gear.

Conclusion

Zarohk, the Temporal, is a formidable boss whose fight revolves around mobility, timing, and careful management of your honor. With 17 million Lives and several dangerous attack phases, this battle will test your reflexes, positioning, and strategic thinking. To succeed, focus on avoiding damage, completing the Sands of Time Challenge, and dealing steady damage when safe. If you can survive the gauntlet of projectiles and traps, you'll be rewarded with high-tier loot and pride in overcoming one of Path of Exile 2's toughest encounters.

By maximizing your gear, POE 2 currency, and item setups, you'll be able to maintain a steady pace, manage your honor efficiently, and handle Zarohk's complex phases. This strategic approach combined with your POE 2 items will give you the edge in what is one of the toughest endgame battles in Path of Exile 2.